新加坡這個城市國家，在國際上享有許多光鮮亮麗的國家形象。但是提到民主、自由、人權等價值時，新加坡似乎就成了被責難的標的。新加坡鮮明的國家特性，即多元種族、多元文化、多元語言、多元宗教。如此多元背景的國家認同建構是項艱钜的工程。新加坡採行公民民族主義是在此多元性的現實下正確的選擇，但是公民民族主義的基礎在於國民認同國家的體制和基本政策，形成共同意志和休戚與共的共同體意識。這種認同基礎是建立在共同性，在異中求同的基本原則。如果這樣的共同性沒有經由多數人的參與或討論而形成，其基礎是脆弱的。因此一般認為公民民族主義必須在一個開放、自由競爭的民主社會才能深化鞏固。由此觀之，新加坡的國家認同內涵終究得面對民主化的挑戰。Singapore received positive attention on her economic performance. On the other hand, when judging by political institution and human rights, Singapore was usually viewed as a less developed country. Reviewing its state building history, Singapore was in tremendous threat from the very beginning. By introducing civic nationalism and numerous economic and social policies, Lee Kuan Yew and the People's Action Party have never lost the ruling contest. After the 1980s, Lee introduced the so-called "Asian Values" to justify the lack of political participation and essential reforms. Under the era of globalization, the civic nationalism is facing new challenge because of the foundation has to come out of deliberate participation and consensuses based on due process of law. Accordingly, the political reform seems to be an inevitable task for Singapore's future.